Was Stanton a murder target?

[John Fazio]

(10-28-2016 07:55 AM)BettyO Wrote:  I've read Thomas Jones' book many years ago - but never noticed the statement that John mentions (on page 46 of Thomas Jones' book) "Payne and Atzerodt, acting under Booth's instructions, were to dispatch Secretaries Seward and Stantion...." (my emphasis) - I think that this could be the result of Jone's faulty memory perhaps? Never heard of either Powell nor Atzerodt going after Stanton - and most certainly can't see Atzerodt going after both Johnson and Stanton. He just didn't have it in him as is evident of his drinking bender that night....

As for Powell's statement to Eckert - never heard of Powell mentioning Stanton in that either.

Betty:

As I said to Kees, "could be"s are infinite.

We may be sure that neither Powell nor Atzerodt went after Stanton. Jone's is merely relating what he believed the assignments were, not that they were actually carried out. In fact, a little later in his book he says that, for reasons unknown to him, the attempt on Stanton was not made. I do not accept that, of course, but it illustrates how his "facts", after 28 years, were fuzzy and do not comport with other evidence. The conspiracy was compartmentalized. No one could have know all of its component parts.

It is not necessary for Powell to expressly mention Stanton (he doesn't expressly mention any other intended victim) to realize that Stanton was contemplated in the statement Powell made to Eckert that it was his impression that arrangements had been made with others for the same disposition as he was to make of Seward.

John